Sectional crane body



July 8, 1958 w, w

SECTIONAL CRANE BODY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, l953 INVENTOR. GLENN W. WAY

July 8, 1958 G. w. WAY

SECTIONAL CRANE BODY Filed May-29,1953

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. GLENN W. WAY

flffdfi/Vf) United States Patent 2,842,378 I SECTIONAL CRANE BODY v Glenn W. Way, Delaware, Ohio Application May 29, 1953, Serial No. 358,466 1 Claim; (Cl. 280-406) The present invention relates in general to cranes and more particularly to mobile cranes of a boom type.

Heretofore cranes have been devised and used which had complicated bulky structures and which necessitated the use of large separate counter-balancing weights, in addition to the structure itself, and which many times required tie-downs in order to lift and manipulate the desired loads.

This has been a serious drawback in crane structures generally and particularly as regards mobile cranes. One of the majordifliculties encountered has been the necessity of having a frame structure for the crane which was of suificient dimensions in both length and width to accommodate extraneous weights in order to permit utilizing the crane for designed or desired loads.

Additionally, cranes heretofore constructed have been difficult to handle and maneuver due to the required frame structure and bulk.

A further drawback of cranes, particularly of the mobile type, has been the necessity of constructing an entirely separate overall and complete crane for each weight range and use to which it was to be put. For additional weight requirements, the overall dimensions became more cumbersome and use of the crane became more diflicult.

Cranes which have been constructed and built heretofore have ordinarily been devised to operate within a given load limit and could not be redesigned to function for a different specific use or range of usable loads.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a crane, particularly a mobile crane which overcomes the drawbacks of cranes heretofore known.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a mobile crane of extreme simplicity in construction and design in which the counter-balancing weight is entirely self-contained and in which no additional extraneous weights or tie-downs are required.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile crane which is of a frameless nature in that the entire operating weight is in the crane body without the necessity of extended frames.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a mobile crane which has overall dimensions suitable for small work area and which will also have the desired operational characteristics.

. Yet another object of the present invention is to providea mobile crane which is comprised of sections which are interchangeable in order to adapt the crane to difierent jobs with a minimum of expense as regards initial production cost and also with respect to purchasers and users faced with ever varying uses and applications for such a crane. V

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a mobile crane having a high degree of mobility and which is of a safe design and construction with reference to workers in its immediate vicinity.

Further objects and advantages of the device of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art pertaining to the present invention from the 2,842,378 Patented July 8, 1958 following detailed description of an embodiment of theinvention, which is illustrative only, taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the crane of the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the invention with parts removed for clarity and taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

In the drawings the crane of my invention is shown which includes driving wheels 10 on axles. 11 which are secured in .the body of the crane. Drive means for the wheels are generally indicated at 12 which consists of a motor and interconnecting shafts and gears to wheels 10, which form no part of my invention.

Rear wheels 13 are pivotally mounted on the chassis or body of the crane and a worm gear assembly 14 is are provided to control and actuate the boom 18 which a utilized in conjunction with control means partially shown at 15 which are connected to steering wheel 16 in order to control the crane.

Normal control mechanisms generally designated 17 are of a standard type as regards the present invention.

A load block 19 and cables 20 are also utilized in a usual manner in order to be capable of .a job for which the crane is designed.

g A seat 21 is preferably pivotally mounted on the crane chassis to permit a gas tank or other necessary appurto be secured together and which are interchangeable withrespect to one another so as to permit adapting a completed crane to a desired purpose.

The crane body consists of the sections delineated between broken lines in the drawings. A front section 24 has the wheel axles 11 pressed into the sides which consist of heavy gauge steel plates preferably welded together at the .corners and having reinforcing angle plates 25, also of a heavy gauge steel, to firm the structure and at the same time add weight to the structure. Threaded bolt holes 26 are provided in the top of the plates and are adapted for securing a top cover plate which has the boom 18 operatively mounted thereon as illustrated in broken lines in Figure 2. Cross braces such as shown at 27 also interlock the heavy gauge steel plates and are preferably welded to form an integral unit.

The center section shown at 28 is also formed of heavy gauge steel plates, welded together and having corner gussets 29 as also side gussets 30. The gussets serve not only as braces and additional weight but also are adapted for securing the drive motor 12 and required power takeolfs, transmissions, gearings and cable drums to the center section. These individual elements are not shown in place and connected for clarity. The various controls such as broadly indicated at 17 are also mounted on the center section 28.

As shown in the drawings, the center section 28 is in the shape of a truncated triangle with the base facing forward. This shape permits a narrowed rear for maneuverability as will be apparent but is not critical.

The rear section is shown at 31 which is also composed of heavy gauge sheet steel and has a rounded end as at 32. A heavy gauge sheet steel top plate 33 is fixed on 3 section 31 and carries means 34 for obvious use. The steering wheels 13 are pivotally suspended from plate 33 in conjunction with worm gear 14.

Preferably a full floating axle is carried by front sec.-

tion. 24 with suitable drive means for driving wheels 10. Any conventional drive means may beemployed, such for example as that illustrated in U. S. Patent to Weaver, No. 2,299,445. 7

A plate 35 is secured to the rear of section 28 and bolts 36 are inserted in holes formed therein and extend through the plate forming rear section 31. These bolts fix sections 28 and 31 together in a removable or sep-' arable manner.

"top plate of said forward section, substantially directly Angled plates 37 are welded to section 28 at the front end and to angle gussets 29. Bolts 38 extend'through plates 37 and the plates forming the sides of section 24 to removably and separably secure'sections 24 and 28 together.

It will accordingly be seen that the three sections can be disconnected from one another and connected to different sections of different dimensions and weights to satisfy requirements for different jobs.

The curved rear end 32 gives a greater mobility and safety to workers in the area since there are no protruding or extended frames in that vicinity.

The entire necessary weight for the crane is provided in the material forming the three sections and no separate frame or beams are required.

Manifestly additional sections could be utilized and changes made in details of construction without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

above said axles, a steered wheel mounting depending from and supported directly and solely by the top plate of said aft section, and motor supporting gussets of heavy gauge metal carried by respective side plates of said intermediate section and directed horizontally inwardly in opposed sets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,953,515 Smith Apr. 3, 1934 2,157,075 Grade May 2, 1939 2,223,863 Wunsch Dec. 3, 1940 2,299,445 Weaver Oct. 20, 1942 2,368,121 Dunham Jan. 30, 1945 2,425,948 Lucien Aug. 19, 1947 2,489,326 Rockstrom et a1. Nov. 29, 1949 2,494,505 Bouchard Jan. 10, 1950 2,503,340 Kipper Apr. 11, 1950 2,506,242 Shoemaker May 2, 1950 2,514,711 Lewis July 11, 1950 

